


The One

by Annabethlove



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: F/M, Fairy Tail Seven Year Time Skip
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-23
Updated: 2018-12-22
Packaged: 2019-09-25 03:38:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17113736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Annabethlove/pseuds/Annabethlove
Summary: In where Natsu reflects over the life of his friend Gray. Gruvia Story.





	1. Chapter 1

_#_

_*This story was inspired by a fan art post I saw on tumblr. The artist is amazing—I wish I could add their username, but my tumblr decided to refresh at that exact moment. All I know is that it was translated by @Serapyon—I think. But like always, the image was lost in the depths of tumblr._

_#_

The One Pt. 1

#

 

 ** _In where Natsu_** _reflects over the life of his friend Gray._

#

  
  


Natsu knew Gray from a young age. He had tumbled into Fairy Tail with no one at his side. A scrawny kid who thought he was better than anyone and acted as if nothing could hurt him. Natsu knew better. The look in his eyes reminded him so much of his own.

 

Natsu could tell Gray had lost someone important to him; maybe even more than one person. He had no parents, like Natsu. Unlike him, Natsu hid his pain and actual true feelings with jokes and laughter—Gray hid his with solidarity.

 

Growing beside Gray was a total experience for Natsu. Gray became like his own brother. They did everything together. Fought with each other, got in trouble together, and even had the same idea of dating— _sort of._

 

Natsu wasn’t much for one night stands of hook up or simply women in general. He didn’t want to date; he didn’t want to see anyone. He found other ways of getting rid of the steam he carried inside.

 

Gray was a whole different story. There wasn’t a night when Gray didn’t go home with some random girl from the near bar.

 

When Natsu would ask about them, Gray would simply wave it off as it was part of his daily routine.

 

“The blonde girl from last night?” Gray had said as he had leaned back on his chair while they were eating breakfast the next day. “I don’t know. I left before she woke up.”

 

“Did you ask her name?” Natsu had asked with a mouth full of eggs.

 

“Why would I?” Gray looked at him weird.

 

That had been the end of that conversation and Natsu soon realized that Gray wasn’t interested in opening up to anyone or ever truly settling down. He saw it in his eyes every time Erza would bring it up in their conversations.

 

“Aren’t you interested in anyone, Gray?” Erza had asked as they sat eating a strawberry dessert she had ordered.

 

“Interested as in…?” Gray raised his eyebrows in question as he leaned back in his seat.

 

“A girl,” her eyes sparkled. “Or a boy…?”

 

Gray had rolled his eyes. “If you shut up about this I’ll buy you more cake.”

 

After that, Erza had turned to look at Natsu and ask him the same question. All Natsu could say, was that Erza had two extra strawberry desserts that night.

 

So, when a blue haired, blue eyed bubbly pale woman came bursting into Fairy Tail declaring her love for Gray, Natsu was very adamant about her staying around at first, but that quickly changed.

 

Juvia Lockser had been an enigma for _all_ the men in Fairy Tail. She was delicate, with a drop dead gorgeous complexity and a killer body. Natsu had to admit it, Juvia was sexy as hell, but wasn’t the type of woman Gray went after. She was intense and she seemed like she would want more than one night stands.

 

Natsu soon realized Juvia was here to stay. The first time he realized that Juvia was god sent for Gray, that she would be the woman that changed him, had been during the parade they’d had for the Master’s son, Laxus. Natsu had seen Gray smile softly at Juvia as they made the crystal ice castle. Natsu had never seen a smile like that on his friend.

 

Sure, Gray put up a show of getting irritated at her whenever she flaunted herself at him or whenever she said something embarrassing in front of others, but Natsu saw the small blushes and the small smiles Gray tried to hide. For Gray, that was a giant improvement.

 

Natsu always knew Juvia was in love with Gray. It wasn’t by the way she declared it every time whenever she saw him, but by the way she would always put him before herself. The way she spoke of him as if she could never find a better man for herself. The woman tried giving her life for him knowing it would save him. It was the small gestures she would do knowing Gray would appreciate them. The sacrifices she made, even knowing that Gray could hate her, simply because she wanted what benefited him the most.

 

Natsu knew Gray was in love with Juvia when he heard from Erza that Juvia had finally decided to give up loving Gray after Silver’s accident and Gray hadn’t let her. Natsu _knew_ Gray, and knew that if he truly didn’t care for her, than he would’ve taken the chance and let her leave—but instead he thanked her and showed her a side of him that he had always been adamant of showing.

 

Natsu smiled sadly. But of course, Gray wasn’t the type of person to accept happiness. He would take one step forward and four steps back.

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_#_

_._

_Part 2 is going up in less than a minute. I really liked writing this two shot. Thank you for reading_ _♥_


	2. Chapter 2

_#_

_*This story was inspired by a fan art post I saw on tumblr. The artist is amazing—I wish I could add their username, but my tumblr decided to refresh at that exact moment. All I know is that it was translated by @Serapyon—I think. But like always, the image was lost in the depths of tumblr._

_#_

The One Pt. 2

#

 

 ** _In where Natsu_** _reflects over the life of his friend Gray._

#

  


Natsu had never felt so _disappointed_ with Gray and Erza in his life as he had as they rode back from ‘rescuing’ Gray.

 

“...but it was a good opportunity for me to find the book of E.N.D so I could carry out my dad’s last request. He wanted it destroyed.” Gray had said.

 

“But still,” Natsu said with his eyebrows scrunched. “You didn’t tell Juvia? That’s pretty harsh man, even for you.”

 

Gray didn’t meet his eyes and stayed silent. Natsu knew better than to bring up that Juvia was sick and bedridden. He knew she would hate him for making Gray worry. Erza tried to give some bullshit explanation of why they hadn’t told Juvia, but Natsu still felt like it was _too_ harsh. For someone to disappear on you for six months without a single word was torture itself.

 

When Natsu had found the time to speak with Juvia about the matter a few weeks later when everyone from Fairy Tail had been reunited to rebuild their guild, Juvia’s eyes had turned sad and she had looked at Natsu with a small smile.

 

“Juvia loves Gray-sama,” she had said softly as her answer.

 

“It was wrong of Gray to not tell you,” Natsu had said back. “Even if you love him, six months is a _lot_ of time.”

 

Juvia had turned her head slightly. “Six months without him felt like six years,” she had said. “But Juvia didn’t mind waiting.”

 

“Doesn’t it hurt you? For him to be that way sometimes?” Natsu had asked. “For him to leave? Without a word? Give you no real apology?”

 

Juvia had sighed softly. “Juvia never said it didn’t hurt, but she knew the man Gray-sama was when she decided to pursue him. She knows he is sorry; his actions reflect it.”

 

Natsu had looked at her in awe and maybe even bewilderment. “But six _months_ , Juvia. It takes a special kind of person to wait that long.”

 

Juvia’s misty eyes had filled with humor after that. “Of course, six months is a long time,” she giggled. “But she _really_ didn’t mind waiting for him that long, Natsu-san.”

 

“Why not?” Natsu still couldn’t understand.

 

Juvia’s cheek had turned rosy pink. “Because six months is nothing compared to the time she wants to spend with him.” She gave him a bright smile. “Juvia wants eternity with Gray-sama.”

 

Natsu always knew those two were idiots to heart. Juvia an idiot for not demanding a better explanation and apology from Gray, and Gray was an idiot for not realizing what he had in front of him.

 

Even after Lyon had given up on Juvia, which Natsu had been sorry to see happen because it was the only thing that made Gray be on edge and care more for Juvia, there had been no progress. So Natsu had been surprised when he had heard from one of the girls from the guild that Gray had spoken to Juvia at the bridge and would give her his answer soon. Gray had _finally_ taken the initiative.

 

The moment when Natsu knew Gray was completely and totally head over heels for Juvia was when she had ‘died’ and Gray had gone after Invel and then Natsu himself.

 

‘Head over heels’ was an understatement, because Natsu had heard Gray had tried giving his life up to save Juvia, and that’s when he knew he had nothing to worry about anymore. His stupid thick-headed friend had finally realized what he had.

 

“You can stop now,” Gray had said to Natsu a late afternoon—the day after Lucy’s book signing.

 

“Stop what? Eating?” Natsu had asked back as he had been shoveling food off his plate.

 

“You know what I mean,” Gray had said as he tried looking for his shirt. Natsu really didn’t know how he’d lost it.

 

“Don’t know what you’re talking about,” Natsu had said as he took a gulp of orange juice.

 

“It’s been years, Fire Breath,” Gray sighed as he gave up looking for his shirt. “You don’t have to try anymore.”

 

“I’m gonna pretend you’re not here so I can finish eating. Stop blabbing ice prick.” Natsu said.

 

“Gray-sama!”

 

Both men looked up to find Juvia in her usual attire with a black shirt hanging from her right arm. She was waving with her other arm at Gray. She had a smile on her face and a dusted pink across her cheeks.

 

“It’s okay,” Gray said as he stood up to walk towards Juvia. “I know what I have, and I’m not about to give it up.”

 

Natsu watched as Gray stride towards Juvia, his face reflected annoyance as she hugged him, but he could see the small smile playing on his lips as Juvia handed him the black shirt. It had been the one he had been looking for.

 

“Juvia was thinking she could come over tonight!” Natsu heard her faintly say. He had great hearing.

 

“No. Absolutely, not.” Gray said as he put his shirt on.

 

“Juvia will make all of Gray-sama’s favorites!” Juvia continued, completely ignoring Gray as he shot her down almost immediately. “She even bought fresh apples. She knows Gray-sama loves apple pie!”

 

“Sure, okay.” Gray said and sighed, but Natsu could see it in his friends’ eyes that he was happy.

 

As they turned to walk away, Juvia turned slightly, and mouthed something at Natsu;

 

_Thank you._

 

Natsu smiled and continued eating. His job was done.

###

  


**_*Bonus:_ ** _for all my NaLu readers._

###

Gray knew Natsu from a young age, and as they grew up together he saw him more as a brother than as a friend, so he knew that he hid all his feelings behind laughter and jokes.

 

He also knew Natsu needed someone mature and level headed in his life. He had never been a fan of dating or one-night stands like Gray, so when he came back from a mission with a bright blonde with a ravishing attitude in tow, Gray was sure his friend had found the one.

 

Lucy Heartfilia brought out a side of Natsu Gray had never seen in his friend before. He was more confident, more adventurous, surer of himself—even making better decisions in life, and simply happier.

 

“But I just want to eat meat!” Natsu complained from across the dining area in the guild.

 

“Well you can’t!” Lucy hissed back at him as she tried to pull him away from the table. “You need some greens in your body, so you don’t die at an early age.”

 

“Lucy, come on!” Natsu cried.

 

A small giggle made Gray turn to look at the seat beside his. Juvia was smiling adorably at Natsu and Lucy.

 

“Sometimes Juvia wonders how those two have been a couple for eight years and married three of those years,” her eyes had turned soft. “Juvia knew Lucy needed someone like Natsu-san in her life, he brings a new side of her out.”

 

Gray nodded in agreement as he watched his friend be dragged away from the table by Lucy.

 

“Sometimes Juvia wonders how _we’re_ five years married too,” Juvia said softly. She had a faraway look in her eyes that Gray knew meant she was reminiscing in old memories.

 

“But we are, and that’s all that matters.” Gray said reassuringly. Juvia’s hazed look cleared and she smiled warmly at him. Gray entwined their hands on the table and turned to look back at Natsu. Lucy was trying to coax some broccoli into him. Gray smiled.

 

_Thank you, Natsu._

 

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#

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Natsu is probably the best Gruvia shipper out there. I love his friendship with Juvia so much. I wish they went on more missions and spent more time together in the manga.

Anywas! Thank you for reading ♥

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